[Sca-cooks] Cooking over charcoal

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

I am completely - well, not completely, but maybe 90 per cent -
ignorant of what's involved in cooking over charcoal.

About a year ago, the friend of a friend picked up a bunch of ceramic
Moroccan-style charcoal-burning kanoons for $15 each. Such a deal! So
i bought one.

It looks rather like a very wide dumbek, about 2 feet tall and maybe
18" at the upper mouth, with a removable metal grill fitted into the
top, a pierced ceramic area just above the middle to hold the burning
charcoal and a hole in the side at bottom for removing the fallen ash.

While i've no evidence that its design/shape is "period", it is made
to hold a tajine and tajines *are* period, so it is plausibly period
for my persona.

I'd like to use it at events (most of ours are camping), but i have
several problems/questions.

ONE: It's red clay and low or medium fire ware (i think), so i would
like to develop a way to carry it safely so i don't smash it into
little pieces. Any suggestions? I can sew, but i don't own
woodworking tools - this is a hint - i can make a padded case, but
can't built a box. However, i just made the acquaintance of someone
who does, so i may be able to arrange a trade). Because of back
problems, i can't carry something that's real heavy.

TWO: Because of sensible West Kingdom Fire Regulations, i have to get
the fire bowl at least 18 inches off the ground. Since it's about 2
feet tall, it's too high  to use on the camping table i normally use
for my Coleman stove. Any suggestions for getting it off the ground
that are convenient to carry? Because of back problems, cinder blocks
are too heavy for me.

THREE: I haven't built a charcoal fire in about the last 20 years.
Hints? Guides? Information sources?

FOUR: What sorts of pots/pans are suitable for cooking over charcoal?
Just ordinary kitchen ware? Or do i need to use something other than
stainless steel and/or cast iron on a charcoal fire?

In an attempt to head of interesting but not useful-to-me information:
-- I know how to cook "period" food. What i need are hints on using
my kanoon and on using charcoal. I don't want recipes, i want cooking
hints for using charcoal.

-- And i don't want to hear a whole bunch about period cooking pots.
I don't own them and they're an expense i can't afford at the moment.
If i get to Pennsic this year, i can seek out appropriate stuff, but
not now.

Thanks for any pointers.

Anahita